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Shades (Soul Reaver 2)
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (2001) |race = Shade |family = Creatures |era = Nosgoth's early history, Pre-Blood Omen era, Post-Blood Omen era |territories = Pillars area, Subterranean Ruins, Dark Forge (SR2), Light Forge (SR2), Air Forge (SR2), Janos Audron's Retreat |weapons = none / claws |abilities = projectile weapons |vulnerabilities = weak enemies |soul = No |realm = both Spectral and Material Realms |appearances = }} Shades were a Shade variant enemy encountered by Raziel in all eras of ''Soul Reaver 2''. Role Shades were soulless shadow-like creatures introduced in Soul Reaver 2 and present in all its eras in a variety of locations. The shades had a shadowy semi-transparent humanoid figure with large hands and claws which formed around a glowing heart at the center of its chest. Shades were attracted to the spiritual energy present in activated fonts and sealed doors and often appeared to guard these devices, stealing their energy and preventing Raziel from using them until the Shade was defeated and the stolen power restored . In combat, shades were fairly weak enemies, felled by a single lunge and combo or a charged Wraith Blade, and they were not particularly quick or strong. Shades made up for their weaknesses however, by hiding in darkened areas where they were often difficult to see and attacking in large groups. At long ranges the shades would shoot projectiles at Raziel, whilst at closer ranges they attacked with strikes from their enlarged claws. Shades existed in both the Spectral and Material Realms and this combined with their lack of a consumable soul mean they could potentially be dangerous enemies. Shades habit of stealing elemental power often meant that Raziel was forced into combat Shades: "These soulless shadow-creatures are able to manifest at will in either the Spectral or Material Realms. They are easy prey, but often confound Raziel by stealing the elemental energy from fonts and Reaver-barriers , thus forcing Raziel to confront them before he can proceed." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 manual. pg34 (Eidos Interactive). (2001) Download. Bestiary: Shades: "These soulless creatures can manifest in the Material and Spectral Planes, like Raziel. A shades is almost impossible to spot in the dark, save for the flickering glow of a heart in its chest. Shades can attack with projectiles, although they'll slash with their dark claws after Raziel approaches within range.//These fiends often guard elemental fonts, stealing their power until destroyed. With the Reaver, dispatch them with a strong lunge attack, followed by two slashes or crouching heavy attacks. If the Reaver is at medium or high power, it kills a shade with a single lunge.//'Strengths''' They have projectile and claw attacks, can inhabit both Spectral and Materail Planes, are difficult to see, and attack in numbers.//'Weaknesses' Raziel gets an almost-guaranteed kill with a lunge and combo attack"'' Prima Games. [[Prima's Official Strategy Guide - Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2|Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2]](2001).Page 18.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4 Know the Foe: Shades: "Shades are hard to spot, attacking from long and close range and lashing out with their claws. Worse, they release no soul and therefore no health when killed. Use the Reaver when you encounter a Shade. Lunge with a strong heavy slash, then unleash a two-hit combo. As the Reaver bar increases and the wraithblade's power grows, you can fell Shades with a single lunge attack." Prima Games. [[Prima's Official Strategy Guide - Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2|Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2]](2001).Page 29.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4'Bestiary: Shades' "Shades are irritating. I hate Shades. They are the only enemies in the game that you will not get a soul from, plus they have long range attacks to accompany their claws. Their translucent nature makes them difficult to spot, and they tend to show up in groups. Not only that, they can chase Raziel back into the Spectral Plane and finish you off if you don't take them seriously. Fortunately, they aren't very tough, and cannot stand against a charged up Reaver. Just be careful that the Reaver meter doesn't fill up and drain you. Apart from that, they are perfect targets for the Reaver, since it will not rob Raziel of a soul for killing them with the wraith-blade. Shades can be found guarding most of the game's elemental fonts.//'Stats (/5)' Strength 1.5//''Speed'' 2//''Defense'' 2//''Health'' 1.5//''Overall'' 2.75"'' GameFAQs. Soul Reaver 2 FAQ/Walkthrough/Soul Reaver 2|Online (by Celtic Wolf).. Raziel first encountered Shades in the Pre-Blood Omen era as he made his way beyond the Pillars and into the Shade-infested Subterranean Ruins. Shades would frequently be encountered through all three eras of Soul Reaver 2 in a variety of locations; though they appeared to favor darkened areas, such as the Subterranean ruins, and areas with elemental power sources such as the Dark Forge, Light Forge, Air Forge and Janos's retreat . Notes *Shades are likely derived from the Shades of mythology - shadow-like spirits of the dead hailing from the underworld. Their appearance may also, more literally, be linked with Shade - the absence of direct (sun)light. *''Soul Reaver 2's Shades were often associated with the 'spiritual energy' found at fonts and Sealed Doors. As such they were often presented in color variations dependant upon the elemental energy they had stolen, with the colour of the heart, claws and 'skin' of the shade all varying depending upon the source of power and associated element . *Shade enemies would return in ''Legacy of Kain: Defiance where the design of the Shades was altered to a more smoke-like appearance with three shade variants presented; the Greater, Lesser and Mini shades . The back-story of the Shades was also fleshed out in their Defiance appearance (as well as the'' Prima Guide'' and developer interviews) which mention that Shades are the "shattered remnants of cruel and malicious souls that coalesce and shift through the spectral wastes", suggesting that although they are soul-less they are made up of 'soul fragments' and may thus be considered as both technically undead and Spectral native, with it also suggested that Shades reach the Material Realm through the weakening of dimensional boundaries Shades: "Shades are malignant undead creatures formed from the shattered remnants of creul and malicious souls that coalesce and shift through the spectral wastes. Shades are insubstantial creatures bearing little physical form other than dark clouds of mist or vapor and brightly glowing eyes. Normal weaponry does little to their shadow-bound forms. However they are easily harmed by the attacks of magical artifacts such as the Reavers, magical spells and telekinetic forces, which can easily disperse their body. Shades hide in shadow, lurking in darkened corners and shady patches on walls, floors and ceilings. They seek to ambush Raziel and Kain, dragging themselves forth from their hiding places on spindly limbs. Due to the weakening of the dimensional barriers, the Shades can now exist both within the material and spectral realms." Prima Games. [[Prima's Official Strategy Guide - Legacy of Kain: Defiance|Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance]] (2003). Page 96. ISBN 0-7615-4467-4. SR2-Shade-Slap2.png|Shade lunge SR2-Shade-Shot.png|Shade shooting projectile Shade-SR2.jpg|'Natural' Shade SR2-Shade-Dark.png|Dark Shade (Font variant) SR2-Shade-Dark-Door.png|Dark Shade (Sealed Door Variant) SR2-Shade-Light.png|Light Shade SR2-Shade-ReaverSealed Door.png|Reaver Shade (Sealed Door variant) SR2-Shade-Air2.png|Air Shade SR2-Shade-Powerreturn.png|Shade power returning to source Appearances * Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 See also * Shades at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Walter). References }} Category:Enemies Category:Soul Reaver 2 enemies Category:Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2